Manager on Friday

25/03/11 JM:- "We have been receiving some fantastic backing away from home and we need the crowd to get vocal and get right behind the team

Jim McIntyre is calling on the East End Park fans to get 'vocal' in the remaining home games of the season and having one win, one defeat and one draw against next opponent's Partick Thistle, Saturday's fixture will not just see who comes out on top between them this season but will also have a great bearing on the Pars promotion hopes.

"We need the fans right behind us from the start. We have been receiving some fantastic backing away from home and we need the crowd to get vocal and get right behind the team. We are coming into a crucial period, we have four games left at home so we need to make sure that the fans are right up for it and really cheer the boys on."

The support from the stands is all the more important on Saturday given the lengthy injury list. Andy Kirk, Ryan Thomson, Neil McGregor and Joe Cardle are all out. Gary Mason returns for two games between suspensions but Nick Phinn who warmed up with the squad on Tuesday night in Dundee, has since broken down with a recurrence of his calf injury. Looking to the longer term the Manager explained that Steven Bell is in need of another operation:-

"He has injured his achilles again, we don't know how long he will be out now but know that he will go down to London on Monday for an operation. He has a five centimetre tear in the middle of his achilles which is absolutely devastating for both him and us. The last time it just snapped altogether but this time it is attached down the sides but with a tear right down the middle.

"That is football; the life of a footballer can be very very cruel at times. It is the side that people don't see - it is not always a bed of roses this job."

Dunfermline could recall at any stage loaned out player, Paul Willis, but even he is injured at Ayr. It will be a side down to the bare bones that will turn out but Macca still feels that he has the players to compete:-

"Thistle are a good side and they had a good result during the week. It just shows the crazy nature of this league, when you fully expect them to beat Cowdenbeath they go and get beat. What is important is that we start the game well."

The Pars did well at Dens Park to take the lead in 32 minutes and go in ahead at the interval but the Manager felt that his team could have made more of the second half chances in Tuesday night's draw at Dundee:-

"Overall it was quite an even game in which we played some good stuff. I have seen Burkie hit a few like that in his time but it was just a special goal. It opened up for him and he just decided to have a crack. He is not renowned for his long range shooting but he caught it as sweet as a nut. He has it in his locker, not very often but he has."

That is the kind of thing that can frustrate managers when players who can hit the target don't put in enough attempts.

"In Burkie's case he is played in a sitting in position most of the times. He is not often far forward or that range from goal but our wide players have not scored enough this season. Apart from Wullie Gibson who has left, they have not contributed enough. Our other wide players should have scored more than what they have."

 Mike McBride's East End Park in the Summer